Slipper and toy



H. E. ROSEN SLIPPER AND TOY Jan. 4, 1966 Filed Feb. 26, 1964 United States Patent O 3,226,849 SLIPPER AND TOY Henri E. Rosen, 67 Long Wharf, Boston, Mass. Fixed Feb. 26, 1964, ser. No. 347,469 3 Claims. (Cl. 36-1) This invention relates to a slipper and more particularly to a slipper that, besides being a foot covering, may be used as a toy in the nature of a hand puppet. Slippers, such as bedroom slippers for children, are often decorated so as to simulatelthe heads of small animals, Storybook characters and the like. In compartively recent years, hand puppets have become popular as toys. These puppets are dolls which are worn on the hand, with parts given motion by flexing the ngers of the hand. Heretofore, childrens slippers were not designed or adapted foruse as hand puppets, nor were puppets required or expected to function as` slippers.

The object of the present invention is to provide a decorated slipper to be worn and used on the foot in the customary manner but one that is adapted alternatively to be used on the hand and graspedwith the lingers, the decorative portions on the slipperthen becoming features of a puppet that may be manipulated or animated by the hand. This combination of slipper and hand puppet produces an article practical and useful as either a slipper or puppet and having appeal not only as an attractive foot covering but also as an amusing toy.

The object of the invention is met by providing an article in the nature of a slipper with decorative details so arranged and iiexible and expansible portions built into the article in such a fashion that, when a hand is inserted in the article, the sole may be reversely flexed about its middle and the article converted into `the head of a puppet having a movable mouth or jaw. Further details of that which is believed to be novel' and included in this invention will be clear from the following description and claims, taken with the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated one example of an article embodying the present invention and incorporating the novel mechanical and decorative features for using the same either asa slipper or as a hand puppet toy.

In the drawings FIG. 1 'is a side view of an exemplary article, used as a slipper, portions being broken away and indicated in section to shown interior details of construction, and

FIG. 2 is a side perspective View of the article of FIG. 1 as it appears when placed on a hand and flexed so as to be used as a hand puppet.

In the embodiment here shown, the article is in the nature of a slipper-sock with an upper which includes a tubular leg portion 5 preferably made of knitted material which is both flexible and elastic, a heel portion 6 at the end of the leg portion and a toe portion 7 extending forwardly of the heel. The usual wearing surface on the bottom is provided by a sole 8 transversely flexible at least at a point 9 about midway between the toe and the heel. For purposes that later appear, the construction is such that a hinging or folding outwardly as well as inwardly of the article is provided at 9.

The toe portion 7, besides covering the front of the `foot of a wearer, is decorated and may be provided with a stiffened and enlarged section 10 shaped to simulate the top of the head of an animal or other character. This section may be provided by a properly shaped piece of sponge rubber or plastic foam 11 covered with a fabric On this front or head section 10 facial features are provided as decorations for display when the article is used as a slipper, these decorations also serving as some of the features of the puppet character when the article is used as a toy. Reference is had to such features as a nose lCC 13, eyes 14, and ears 15. Note that each of these features normally would appear as a facial feature above the `upper lip of the mouth of a character, the forward portion of the sole of the slipper constituting the upper lip. The entire bottom of the sole and its edges may be colored red so as to simulate the usual red color of the inside of the mouth and the lips of the puppet character.

The heel portion-6 of the article is made of or covered with some appropriate material to simulate the chin, lower jaw, and beginning of the neck of the character, all these features being located normally below the lower tip of the head. The rear portion of the sole, under the heel, will become the lower lip and the inside of the lower -portion of the mouth of the puppet character when the article is used as a toy. When used as a slipper, the features on the heel are upside down.

The proper location of the Various facial features, as set forth above, provides ready conversion of the slippers to use as a hand puppet toy when desired. After inserting the hand, palm downward into Ithe slipper, with the fingers in the toe portion and the thumb in the heel portion, a user brings the ngers and thumb together, flexing the sole outwardly to fold it across the transverse line or area 9. Thus the various features are brought together in proper positional relationship so that the head of the puppet character is simulated, having a jaw that may be animated by moving the fingers and thumb with respect to each other.

ln the particular example of the invention here shown, in which the toe and heel portions may be made of somewhat stif and inelastic material, it may be desirable to provide for the outward folding of the sole upon itself without pulling the heel 6 or toe 7 tightly against the sole. One Way to provide for this in the exemplary slipper-sock is to continue the elastic leg portion 5 of the upper downwardly on either side of the article between the toe portion and the heel portion until it reaches the sole 8 in the area of the line 9. This downward extension is indicated by the numeral 16. Without the elastic or expansible sections 16 or some similar arrangement, the sole, even though ilexible, might not be capable of folding easily outwardly upon itself to provide the jaw hinge for the puppet. Suicient expansion must be provided either by choice of materials used or by cut of the article so that even when the hand is inserted within the article the reverse flexing of the sole may take place for the desired animation of the toy. Although the example here shown includes the knitted tubular leg portion 5, which encircles the wrist and helps to hold the article on the hand when it is used as a puppet, such leg portion could be eliminated, although the resulting article might not be as attractive or as convenient to use.

The various parts of the slipper-toy may be given any desired coniiguration to represent the head of an animal or other character, the leg portion, if used, constituting a nec and back of the head associated with the facial features. Further animation of the puppet may be obtained by twisting the wrist. As noted, the toe portion carries decorations representing features located above the upper lip while the heel portion simulates or carries decorations representing features located below the lower lip of the mouth of the character. The reverse hinging provided by the flexible sole permits the conversion of the article to a hand puppet. When the article is not being used as a hand puppet, the normal resiliency of the sole 8 and other parts will pull the article back into its slipper shape so that it may be pulled onto a foot and worn as a foot covering in the usual way.

As will be evident from the foregoing, certain aspects of this invention are not limited to the particular details set forth as an example, and it is expected that various modifications of the invention will occur to those 3,226,849 3 4 skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the apwhereby said sole simulates the mouth of the puppet pended claims shall cover such modifications as do not character head when said slipper is worn on the hand. depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention. 3. In a slipper of the type having What is claimed is:

an upwardly extending tubular leg portion of elastic 1. A slipper of the type having a normally flat sole, 5 knitted material, a toe portion covering one end of the sole, a heel portion joined thereto at one end, a heel portion extending from the opposite end of the an enlarged toe portion extending from said leg porsole, tion opposite said heel portion, and said sole being sufliciently flexible between said toe a normally flat sole covering the bottom of said heel and heel portions that it may be folded outwardly and toe portions, on itself, and that improvement adapting said slipper for use as a means between said toe and heel portions adapted to hand puppet character having the form of a head permit such outward folding, with a mouth and nose, eyes, ears and chin thereon, said sole simulating the interior of a mouth and the comprising lips of a puppet character head when the S016 iS a transverse flexible area on said sole between said heel folded, and toe portions, said toe portion being decorated to simulate facial decorative features on said toe portion simulating the features above the mouth of the puppet character nose, eyes, and ears of the puppet character head, head, and said enlarged toe portion simulating the top of the said heel portion simulating features in the area below head,

the mouth Ofh2 PUPPE Chflcer head, h decorative features on said heel portion simulating whereby when said sole is folded outwardly on itself the Chin of the puppet Character head in upside down said slipper is adapted to be used as a hand puppet position, character head hfwmg a mouth movable by foldmg said tubular leg portion simulating the neck of the head, 2 aInd urll-.foldmgfsdtsole'h n 20 side extensions on said leg portion leading to said n aslppero. e 51.96 avm sole between said heel portion and said toe pora flexible upper including a heel portion and non. a toe portion extending Opposite said heel portion, and the knitted material of said extensions having sutiicient a iicxible sole covering the bottom of said heel and elasuclty and expallsbhtx S0 that Said 501e may Je toe Portions, ilexed outwardly at its flexible area and folded on itthat improvement adapting said slipper for use as a Self between Said heel and 10e POFOIIS,

hand puppet character having the form of a head whereby said sole simulates the mouth of the puppet with a mouth and other facial features thereon, comcharacter head when said slipper is worn on the prising hand. decorative features on said toe portion simulating facial features above the mouth of the puppet character References Cited by The Examiner 4 l'lbl t. l t. f 1 f t b 1 th UNITED STATES PATENTS ori simu a in acia ea ures e ow e f @gaat ne atrae-1- said ilexible upper having expansible sides between said 3,023,420 3/1962 Tann u 36 2.5 X

heel portion and said toe portion, and

said sides being of sufcient expansibility that said sole may be flexed outwardly and folded on itself between said heel and toe portions JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. R. GUEST, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SLIPPER OF THE TYPE HAVING A NORMALLY FLAT SOLE, A TOE PORTION COVERING ONE END OF THE SOLE, A HEEL PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF THE SOLE, SAID SOLE BEING SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE BETWEEN SAID TOE AND HEEL PORTIONS THAT IT MAY BE FOLDED OUTWARDLY ON ITSELF, AND MEANS BETWEEN SAID TOE AND HEEL PORTIONS ADAPTED TO PERMIT SUCH OUTWARD FOLDING, SAID SOLE SIMULATING THE INTERIOR OF A MOUTH AND THE LIPS OF A PUPPET CHARACTER HEAD WHEN THE SOLE IS FOLDED, SAID TOE PORTION BEING DECORATED TO SIMULATE FACIAL FEATURES ABOVE THE MOUTH OF THE PUPPET CHARACTER HEAD, AND 